


Strawberries and Cream

by iam93percentstardust



Series: Wilderhope [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Protective Pepper Potts, Shovel Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:22:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27175840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iam93percentstardust/pseuds/iam93percentstardust
Summary: Steve vaguely remembers meeting Lady Virginia Potts when he and Tony were children. He remembers a shock of red hair, the fleeting scent of strawberries and cream, and a determined spirit that wouldn’t take no for an answer but that’s about it.So to him, the first time he meets Lady Virginia is a little over a year after his wedding to Tony, after they've sorted out their feelings. And, oh, does Lady Virginia Potts have some things that she wants to say to him.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Wilderhope [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1844905
Comments: 14
Kudos: 256





	Strawberries and Cream

Steve vaguely remembers meeting Lady Virginia Potts when he and Tony were children. He remembers a shock of red hair, the fleeting scent of strawberries and cream, and a determined spirit that wouldn’t take no for an answer but that’s about it. His attention had been so focused on Tony, even back then, that he’d barely spared more than a couple glances for Tony’s friend.

So to him, the first time he meets Lady Virginia is a little over a year after his wedding to Tony, after they’ve sorted everything out with their feelings. He had had James set up the household in London as an anniversary gift to his omega. James tells him it’s too extravagant for a first anniversary present and maybe it is but then again, Tony is just as extravagant with his own gifts—for his birthday, Tony had gotten him not one, not two, but _three_ stallions for their stables—so he doesn’t feel too bad about it.

And besides, the look on Tony’s face when he realizes Steve has finished setting up their household—left unfinished after their misunderstanding about Tony returning to Wilderhope—is more than worth the extravagance of such a gift.

They decide to visit the London home together once it’s finished. Now that he’s there with Tony, there’s something absolutely wonderful about the city. He still much prefers Wilderhope but he can see what drew Tony to London. There’s so much more to do here: trips to the museum, to the parks, to the opera. Tony clearly adores it and Steve very much adores Tony so he’s more than willing to come here as often as his omega likes.

The last night they’re there, Tony invites some of the friends they’ve made in the city over for a small dinner party. Steve would have preferred a quiet night in—Tony’s friends can be a little loud at times and after a week of loud, he’s more than ready to return to the quietness of their home in the country—but then Tony lets him know that he’s extended an invitation to Sam as well and that goes a long way toward cheering him up.

“And you won’t mind?” he asks anxiously as they stand by the door, waiting for their guests.

“Mind what?” Tony asks, clearly not much focused on him.

“If Sam and I talk business?” He really means to ask if it’ll be okay if he disappears from the gathering at some point if the noise gets to be too much but he can’t force those words from his mouth, not when he knows it might make Tony look like a bad host.

He can tell Tony gets it though by the way he smiles at him and leans up on his toes to kiss his cheek. “I wouldn’t have invited him if I wasn’t okay with it,” he says. “You two might not even be alone. Rhodey doesn’t much care for dinner parties either.”

“Has he proposed to Lady Virginia yet?” Steve has heard a lot about the love affair between Lady Virginia and Colonel Rhodes over the last few months. Tony is close friends with both of them, apparently introduced them to each other the last time he was in London, and has been pushing for them to bond ever since.

Tony shakes his head. “She’s hoping it’ll happen soon but who can tell with those two? They’re hopeless.”

“And what would you call the two of us?” Steve asks, thinking about how they could have easily been called hopeless too.

Tony laughs. “Beyond help.”

Steve takes affront at that for a moment but it’s clear from the way Tony is smiling as he says the words that he means no harm by it. He leans down and kisses his smiling mouth. Tony tastes like sugar and blackberries and he throws his arms around Steve’s neck, as willing and eager now as he was during their first kiss.

“We got here, didn’t we?” he murmurs as he draws away. He doesn’t go far though. Tony’s arms and his own willingness to be parted from him keep him close.

“We did,” Tony agrees with another soft smile. “So maybe Pepper and Rhodey aren’t entirely hopeless.”

Before Steve can answer, there’s a knock on the door. Ordinarily, James would have been the one to answer the door but he had been sent ahead to get Wilderhope ready for them so Steve is the one to answer it, revealing Lady Virginia and Colonel Rhodes on the doorstep.

“Pepper! Rhodey!” Tony says delightedly, foregoing propriety to dart forward and hug them both. Lady Virginia looks affronted for a second but Tony just hugs her tighter and after a moment, she relents and hugs him back. Colonel Rhodes sees no issue with the hug.

“Tony,” Lady Virginia says as they pull apart. “Why don’t you show Rhodey your home? I’m sure he’d love a tour.”

“And what will you be doing?” Tony asks suspiciously. Steve doesn’t blame him one whit. Lady Virginia is clearly up to something despite her bland smile and innocent eyes.

“I just wish to catch up with your husband,” Lady Virginia says sweetly. “After all, I haven’t seen him since we were children. I’m sure he has fascinating stories to tell of his time as an officer, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Steve has plenty,” Tony agrees hesitantly, eyes still narrowed suspiciously.

Steve busses his cheeks against Tony’s and murmurs, “It’s fine. She’s not going to do anything to me in our own home.”

Tony raises an eyebrow doubtfully.

“Thank you for your confidence in me,” Steve says dryly. He gives Tony a little shove in Colonel Rhodes’ direction. “I know you’re proud of the house, go show it off.”

“You know me too well.”

“I’m your husband.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Tony says cheekily, giving Steve one more kiss before he links arms with Colonel Rhodes and leads him into the depths of the home.

Steve turns back to Lady Virginia, taking in the differences from what he remembers when they were children. Her hair is a little less red, the freckles a little less pronounced, the eyes a little bluer, but that scent of strawberries and cream, that’s as strong as it ever was.

“You look well,” he manages after an awkward pause.

She smiles thinly. “Thank you.”

Another beat.

“Thank you—” he starts to say, just as she begins, “Tell me—” They both stop. He chuckles, the sound dying off when he realizes she’s not also laughing. “You go first.”

“Thank you,” she says again. She glances away and then back to him, steeling herself. “Tony tells me you two are doing well.”

“Yes, we are.”

“After such an abysmal beginning?”

He hesitates. “Lady Virginia, are you asking me what my intentions are toward Tony?”

She shrugs elegantly. “I think you can see where I’m worried. You left him here, intending on annulling your marriage. And now the two of you are as close as a couple can be. Are you surprised at my concern?”

“No,” he says. “But I do love him. And he loves me. That isn’t enough for you?”

Lady Virginia frowns. “I’m concerned that this came out of nowhere.”

“It didn’t come out of nowhere. We’ve loved each other since we were children, but neither of us realized it.”

“And you realize it now?”

“I do.” He starts to continue and then stops, thinking over his next words carefully. He doubts that he truly needs Lady Virginia’s approval. Tony does love him and he’ll let no one stand in their way now that he knows his feelings are returned. Still, Steve knows how much Lady Virginia means to his husband and he wants to cultivate a good relationship with her. Her approval will go a long way toward making Tony happy and—“Lady Virginia, all I want is to make Tony happy. By some miracle, _I_ make him happy. I want to keep him happy; I’d do anything to keep him like this. So yes, I love him, I have always loved him, and I’m not asking for your approval because Tony is his own person, he can make his own decisions. But I know that he would like to have it.”

Lady Virginia regards him for a long moment. He doesn’t squirm but only from sheer force of will. She has a formidable gaze and he can’t tell what’s behind those blue eyes, what thoughts might be whirring through her brain right now. Eventually, she says, “You understand that if you ever hurt him like that again, I will have you shot.”

It isn’t a question. She doesn’t even once think that he might not know she’s capable of doing it. He fully believes her.

“If I hurt him like that again, I would beg you to shoot me.”

She gazes at him for another minute before abruptly breaking out into a soft smile. “Call me Pepper.”


End file.
